


origin

by sweetgoodgraciousangel



Series: Month of May Prompts 2019 [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M, jester: hholy FUCK i have a hhusband and i love him, thats it thats the summary of this story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 05:36:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18685183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetgoodgraciousangel/pseuds/sweetgoodgraciousangel
Summary: Jester tries to pinpoint the time he knew he'd fallen for Ace.





	origin

Jester isn’t sure where it all started. **  
**

Specifically, he wished he could pinpoint the origin of when he started to realize that he was using the word rival as a pathetic cover-up of his real feelings toward Ace. It’s a rather textbook way of stating that, but he’s figured out at this point there’s no use in beating around the bush when it came to the truth. There was no need to hide the truth about it, not when the very man himself was currently tucked up against Jester’s side, breathing soft and even, eyes closed with the most serene expression he’s ever seen on his face. Jester’s found that Ace seemed to fall asleep more quickly if he clung onto him, which he more than happily allowed for the sake of his husband getting some sleep.

_Husband_ …

How did this all happen? He took one, long glance at Ace’s face and then sighed, more so in bliss than anything as the memory washed over him and he could contain his smile. He remembered.

He met Ace on a day he was supposed to be seeing Diamond. The Ruler themself had been caught up in other business and delayed their arrival through a message from a nearby guard of theirs. Jester was patiently waiting by the large sparkling stone fountain in the middle of the Diamond Kingdom, minding his own business more or less, twiddling his thumbs to pass the time and calculating how much longer his friend would take to be there. People watching wasn’t exactly his favorite pastime, but it was all he had to do other than stare blankly into the distance. He was pondering on what exactly he should say to Diamond over what they wanted to talk about, feeling the world around him almost go numb.

Ah, then of course, he was… quite literally  _dragged_ into the fountain.

He’d felt something tug on the bag of his shirt, and as he turned his head to investigate, seconds later he was being pulled under. He flailed, water filling his mouth, immediately kicked away whatever - or whoever - had grabbed him. There was a yelp of pain, and when Jester resurfaced, coughing up the water he’d almost swallowed, catching his breath as he hastily managed to wipe most of the water out of his face, he saw him.

Dark hair, dark eyes, fangs and all - the unfamiliar - admittedly attractive - man had smiled awkwardly.

“I am…  _so sorry_.” The stranger said, pulling himself out of the fountain. He was about to help Jester out when a bunch of shouting soon followed behind him, and the man blinked, stepping backward.

“Gods - I’m sorry!”

The stranger tipped the cap on his head briefly at him, and then turned on his heel and bolted. Some people were practically flying after him, hot on his heels, shouting at people to stop him before he got too far away. Whatever had happened, that stranger had been in big trouble, it seemed. Now that he thought about it, Ace had never told him why those people were chasing him down that day.

He also distinctly remembered thinking to himself that man just  _felt_ like he was a handful all together, and well, never had he been so right about something. But seeing that sleeping face next to him, so calm and relaxed, Jester’s heart melted slightly as he brushed some stray strands of hair out of his face carefully. He might have been right, but good Gods, he would never trade him for anyone else.

That’s also of course not when he fell for him (well, not  _literally_ ). No, it was much later than that. After their many encounters, after the two of them had declared one another rivals, after Jester had been crowned King of the Spade Kingdom. It was after Butterfly showed up and kicked off a series of events, after he and Diamond had their reunion after what felt like an eternity of the two of them declaring their friendship was over.

He’d been feeling strange, but not in a bad way. There was a time when the two of them were with the others, silent in one another’s presence (for once, no bickering) and Ace had openly laughed - genuinely - about something that someone else had said but Jester didn’t really hear since he was too busy zoning in on that voice that sounded like pleasing bells to the ears, that laughter that inevitably made his heart shake. He remembered Alice touching his elbow gently and asking him if he was okay, that he just seemed out of it for some reason.

There was no hiding the fluster on his face, realizing he’d just been gawking at the other man with no explanation. Jester announced he was heading to bed, but was that one bad telling of a lie he really put no effort into in the first place. He laid there under his blankets for hours on end asking him what was even going on anymore but couldn’t find an answer. All he knew is that wasn’t the first time he’d done that when Ace was around, but it was the very first time he’d been conscious of the fact he was doing it.

That still quite wasn’t it though.

No, it was far after all of that, when Hell itself broke loose upon the living. By the time the mess had been cleaned up and Jester was back in his own bedroom inside of the Kingdom of Spades, mulling over everything that had happened with mostly somber thoughts and some weird twisty feeling of being deceived by the one person who he thought had been his savior at the worst point of his life, he’d known for sure. He’d risen from his bed and wandered toward his window, where he had a pleasant outlook of the gardens beneath him. He liked to sit by there sometimes, as all the flowers and birds outside would lift his spirits a little when he was so down like he was.

And… Ace was laying on the grass, looking as peaceful as he did now in the present. His heart jumped at the sight, his name sitting at the tip of his tongue before he remembered he was a couple stories above and inside the Palace where he surely wouldn’t hear him. Before he knew it, he had his shoes on, a thin blanket wrapped around his shoulders and he was shuffling quickly down the hallways, toward the big arching doors that would lead him to where he was.

Ah, he probably should question how the hell he managed to keep getting in without alerting any of his guards, but he really didn’t honestly care anymore. What did matter was that he was here now -  _alive_ , most importantly, after everything that had happened - and he needed to see him. It had only been a short spell of time but Jester didn’t  _fucking_ care, if he was honest. He needed him. He needed to hear that voice, to see that smile, to acknowledge those eyes staring into his own to reach a level of understanding the two of them seemed to only share with one another.

Jester laid down next to him on the grass. Ace glanced at him, surprised he’d joined him without another word. He looked at Jester’s attire, and back to the blanket wrapped around his shoulders before he snickered softly.

“Having a lazy day, Your Majesty?”

The comment was made in more good nature than anything, and Jester smiled, thanking every unseen force he was able to hear it again.

“Maybe. Would you want to join me?”

“Inside?”

“Yes. Unless you planned to lay out here all day?”

Ace rolled on his side, close -  _not close enough_ \- to Jester, studying him for a second, as if the proposition was so wild to the point he had to check if he was being serious. And when he caught the gleam in his eyes, the shimmer of hope, the way his smirk followed afterward, that’s when Jester was positive he knew how he felt about Ace. Jester couldn’t even begin to think of a life where he didn’t have him in his life, somewhere close to him, feeling the overwhelming desire to have little to no space between one another, the need to have late night conversations, the want to just simply hold his hand… Jester couldn’t deny the fact he loved him anymore.

“…If it’s with you,” Ace said quietly, “I don’t really care what we’re doing.”

Jester didn’t either.

Ace stirred in his arms, breaking him out of his thoughts. The man shifted, and he laid completely still, fearing waking him up. Briefly, Ace’s eyes fluttered open, catching Jester’s gaze. He looked away, cheeks flushing in embarrassment (Ace was the only one who was ever able to make him blush as easily as he did). Ace - though still half asleep - laughed softly.

“I’m flattered you find me pretty enough to stare at me all the time,” Ace began, words slurring slightly, “but you’ll regret not having slept any in the morning, Jest.”

As if his husband had any right to lecture him on sleep when most of the time it was Ace who was up and prancing around the palace way past midnight, but Jester merely nodded. So long as Ace was resting, he was happy.

Jester yawned, as if on cue, settling into the bed more comfortably. Ace pressed his face against Jester’s shoulder, still clinging on his body like his life depended on it. It seemed he’d already fallen back asleep, back to looking that same serene he had before. Gently kissing the top of his forehead, Jester rested his chin there, closing his eyes.

It wasn’t an outcome he was ever anticipating, but he’s thanking every star in the sky every night it did end like it had.

**Author's Note:**

> a list of prompts sent to me by my friend for the month of may! 
> 
> day one is: origin


End file.
